"Martino is ideal for Barcelona"

Jorge Raúl Solari, coached Gerardo Martino in the eighties and 'Tata' always said he was one of his greatest influences.

Staunch defender of aesthetic football and one of the best Argentine trainers, El Indio (The Indian) claims that Tata is ready to step up to the challenge of managing Barcelona. "Gerardo is a very able coach. It's no accident that he managed Paraguay. And he is more than ready to make the leap to Europe. I’m not surprised that Barcelona and other clubs are eyeing him up. He has proven that there are other ways of playing football."

Of his days as a player, Solari highlights his skill and love of football: "He was a superb midfielder who really understood the game. That’s why his success as a manager has come as no surprise to me. He has an in-depth knowledge of the game. It's all about teamwork and passing and after that he looks for aesthetic beauty in his teams."

Solari also claims that the school of football that Martino modelled himself on is very similar to Barcelona's. "Passing is essential. We train players at Renato Cesarini and Newell's with a very definite aesthetic aim. Martino thrived on that, on respect for the game and for triangulations."

Regarding the comparison with Bielsa he says: "They are different. Bielsa is more tactical, stricter on order in the team. Martino opts for a freer, more creative game, Barça-style."